Le PAL
Theme park and zoo in one
Le PAL is a theme park and a zoo in the Allier, in the heart of France. In one day you can ride roller coasters and water rides and see elephants, tigers and giraffes. That makes it an ideal park for families with children of all ages.
What is Le PAL?
Le PAL has been around since 1973 and, according to the park, is the only park in France that combines rides, animals and unusual overnight stays. On 40 hectares of nature you'll find 31 attractions, some 1,000 animals from five continents and three animal shows. In 2024 it welcomed 730,000 visitors, making Le PAL the most visited leisure attraction in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Instead of expanses of tarmac, the park has paths lined with flowers and some 1,500 plant species. Each attraction is themed on a destination of its own, such as Scandinavia, Louisiana, Africa and the Yukon in Canada. With the animals it's all about watching and discovering: with a little patience you'll see tigers swimming, lionesses on an old jeep and hippos calmly swimming around.
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The highlights
Le PAL's most thrilling attractions, with the park's minimum height:
- Yukon Quad: a roller coaster in which you sit on a quad bike, racing through the Yukon Valley at almost 90 km/h. It's the biggest attraction Le PAL has ever built (from 1.20 m).
- Fjord Explorer: a gentle boat trip through a Scandinavian village that ends with a big drop into the lake (from 1.10 m).
- Azteka: the mine train through a ruined Aztec temple (from 1 m).
- Le Twist: a ride in which you spin differently on every bend (from 1 m).
- Le Disque du Soleil: spinning faster and faster to music by ZZ Top (from 1.20 m).
- La Rivière du Grand Nord: a wild water ride with a big drop (from 1 m).
- Le Rapido: down a steep water slide in a rubber dinghy (from 1 m).
Animal shows: also look out for Des oiseaux et des Hommes with birds in full flight, the parrots of L'éveil des plumes and the sea lions of Les otaries et le monde marin. Each show lasts about 25 minutes.
With children
Le PAL is above all a park for families. Many children's attractions have no minimum height; smaller children then ride with an adult. From 90 centimetres they can go on King Kong, L'Escadrille du Désert, La Rivière des Castors and the boat trip Alligator Baie. The very youngest can also ride the Ballons d'Orient, the Yukon Trucks and the Carrousel (accompanied under 1.20 m). At the Haras du PAL children can go for a horse ride through the woods.
In La Rivière du Lion children play in a jungle playground with four sections for different ages. There's also a petting farm and the keepers will tell you more about the animals. If your child is too small for an attraction, use Babyswitch: the parents take turns without queuing again. You can hire a pushchair at the entrance for €9 per day (as of November 2026).
Opening times:
Le PAL is open from April to early October, usually from 10 am to 5.30 or 6 pm. The park is closed in winter.
Tickets:
A Billet Malin (online, dated) costs from €33 for adults and €28 for children. An undated Billet Liberté costs €41 and €35 (as of November 2026).
Food, shops and accommodation
Le PAL has 17 places to eat. For table service, try Restaurant La Coupole, with a 1900 interior and a shady terrace. Le Quai West is a cafeteria in the harbour district of Seal Harbor. You can get crêpes at Le Bangala and the snack bar Le Glouton is by the Fjord Explorer. There are also plenty of picnic spots, inside and outside the park.
The park has two unusual places to stay with views of the animals:
- Les Lodges du PAL: lodges for up to five people on the African savannah, with zebras, wildebeest and kudus, or by a lake with hippos and pelicans.
- Le PAL Savana RESERVE: a hotel with 60 family suites and rooms for two, with views of giraffes, white rhinos and antelopes.
Admission to the park is included with an overnight stay.
Travelling to Le PAL
Le PAL is in the middle of France. By car it takes about 8 hours from Utrecht and about 7 hours from Antwerp, via Paris and Moulins. Coming from the A79, take exit 27 (Dompierre-sur-Besbre Ouest) or exit 28 (Thiel-sur-Acolin). The park is about 1.5 hours from Clermont-Ferrand and 2 hours from Lyon and Dijon.
By train you go to Dompierre Sept-Fons station, the nearest station. From there you take a taxi. Shuttle buses run to the park from Moulins station and from Vichy (€2.30 per journey, as of November 2026). If you'd rather fly, Lyon is the most convenient airport; hire a car there for the last two hours.
Our tips:
- Plan around the animal shows
- Buy a Billet Malin online
- Stay the night among the animals
Tips for your visit
On arrival, check the times of the animal shows and plan the rides around them. If you already know your date, buy a Billet Malin: it's on sale online until the evening before and is cheaper than at the ticket desk. A night in a lodge or at Savana RESERVE is a special experience: you have breakfast overlooking the savannah and get two days for the park.